Federal Road Authority to replace FERMA

The Federal Road Authority is to replace the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency ( FERMA), the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, has said.

Onolememen, who spoke at a two-day workshop to consider the Road Sector Bill in Abuja, said FERMA was a stop gap agency, not meant to be permanent.

“In 1996 when the conference on reforming the road sector was conveyed, it was agreed that a road authority should be created, along the line, interest came in and FERMA was created.

“It is in the light of the forgoing that on the 18th October 2011, I inaugurated the committee for Road Sector Reform, this of course came up with two Draft Bills.

“The first bill, the Draft National Road Fund Bill, establishes the National Road Fund to be supervised by a National Road Fund Board and the second bill, is the Draft Federal Roads Authority (FRA).

“This sets up a semi authonomous road agency that will be responsible for the efficient construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of federal roads, as well as providing the overall framework and advice for the cordination and the cornerstone of the nation’s economy,” he stated.